


There Are Rules

by roonilwazlibnthe1_2bloodprince



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, First Date, Marauders' Era, Uncertain Date, jily
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-06
Updated: 2017-04-06
Packaged: 2018-10-15 10:59:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,989
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10555194
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/roonilwazlibnthe1_2bloodprince/pseuds/roonilwazlibnthe1_2bloodprince
Summary: For the most part, it didn’t really bother Lily when James “asked her out”.  She knew it was all for a laugh and there were only a few instances through the years that it was genuinely not funny.  Sometimes it happened several times in a single class.  Other times they could go a couple weeks without incident.  Some of them were thought out, elaborate even.  She didn’t mind at all, but it did come with a few simple rules.Rule Number One:  Always say No.Rule Number Two:  Don't look like you enjoy it too much.Rule Number Three:  Don't expect anything further.





	

For the most part, it didn’t really bother Lily when James “asked her out”.  She knew it was all for a laugh and there were only a few instances through the years that it was genuinely _not funny_.  Sometimes it happened several times in a single class.  Other times they could go a couple weeks without incident.  Some of them were thought out, elaborate even.  Every Valentine’s Day their year knew he would have something planned.  (It varied year to year whether or not _Lily_ would be able to find it funny.) 

Usually, though, James would just ask when the opportunity would present itself.  He might set her up or refer to the class’s lecture.  Other times he would be having a conversation with someone else entirely when he’d see the chance, his “Hey, Evans…” enough to get the class to laugh.  Of course, they’d get quiet real quick because half the fun was listening to Lily’s response.

Again, Lily didn’t really mind James’ joke- she was actually grateful.  Being a key part of one of his regular jokes gave her a taste of popularity.  Not enough to get cocky about it, just enough to have some fond memories of being in the middle of things and putting a smile on her classmates’ faces.  She didn’t mind at all, but it did come with a few simple rules.

 

Rule Number One:  Always say No.

 

Of course, a lot of times she couldn’t just say “no”.  She would say “Sure, just let me finish up breathing first” or “When the Canons win the cup or maybe she’d respond to “Fancy a date?” with “Yes, actually.  I was thinking Jack Carver” (a famous Quidditch player) or, when on the subject of a historian’s recent passing he asked “Be my date to the funeral?” to which _she_ said “I’d rather be the date at _your_ funeral.”

 

                Then their classmates would laugh, and probably James, too, and Lily would grin but hold back her laughter because…

 

Rule Number Two:  Don’t look like you enjoy it too much

 

It was better for everyone if she could manage exasperated, which sometimes came very naturally.  Then Lily would go back to doing what she was doing, James would go back to doing what he was doing, and they wouldn’t really talk much else until it happened again or James’ behavior warranted the correction of a prefect because…

 

Rule Number Three:  Don’t expect anything further

          

                That, of course, was before their seventh year.  The jokes were still happening but now they were Head boy and Head girl they also had meetings and rounds and quick, before class conversations.  In other words, they were some level of friends, which seemed to please them both.  And since they were some level of friends, Lily thought herself justified in talking to him when she saw him looking slightly bewildered in the hallway one evening.

                “Are you alright?” she asked.

James shook his head a bit to knock his thoughts back into place.  “Oh, yeah, I’m fine.”

                Lily continued to look concerned.  “You sure?”

                “Mmhm.”  He nodded with a smile.  “I just, didn’t get a lot of sleep last night with that, uh, Arithmancy project being due today.”

                She gave an amused smile.  “Yeah, I waited too late on that, too.  Just don’t forget the meeting tomorrow at Hogsmeade.  I hate talking to the prefects alone.”

                “Teenagers are the worst,” he agreed before asking, “Hey, do you want to get drinks after the meeting?”

                “Sure, that sounds great.  But I should let you go get some sleep.  See you tomorrow.”

                She walked off then to James’ mumbled “good night”, happy to have the chance to spend some time with him and that he was outgoing enough to suggest it.  She had been hoping since they both been made heads that they might become friends this year.  This was their last year of Hogwarts, after all, and it could very well be their last chance.

                It wasn’t until later, when she was happily explaining her plans to Dorcas that she realized her mistake.

                “Wait, so you finally said yes?” Dorcas asked incredulously.  “And I missed it?”

                “No, no it’s not like that,” Lily said with a smile.  “We’re just meeting as friends for some drinks.”

                Her smile suddenly faded.

                “Oh, no!” she exclaimed.  “No, no, no, no.  Dorcas!  What have I done?”

                Dorcas was not nearly as alarmed.  “Relax- it’s not like you’re doing anything different from what you thought.  Just go have drinks with him.  Honestly, it had to have happened some time.  I was going to recommend right at the end of the year- it seemed symbolic.”

                Lily shook her head fiercely.  “No, but Dorcas, this is just so unfair for him.  I didn’t mean to trap him like this.”

                “Eh, he had it coming.”  Then seeing this was not helping matters, Dorcas added, “Look, it’s not like it’s such a chore spending time with you.  It’ll be good for him to have a bit of variety- he’s always seems to be with the same three people.”

                “That’s not true- he talks to the Quidditch team.”

                “But most of the time it’s just him and the ‘Marauders’ everywhere he goes.  Come to think of it, they might even be there tomorrow.”

                “Really?” Lily asked hopefully.

                Dorcas shrugged.  “I mean, it’s possible.  Here, I’ll walk to the Three Broomsticks after the meeting tomorrow.  If his friends are there, I’ll join you.”

                “And if not?” Lily led, already expecting the answer.

                She watched as her friend hesitated before replying.

                “Then I’ll stay back.  It still doesn’t prove anything, but if James thinks it’s a date, even one he doesn’t want, it’ll be worse for you both if I show up.

                Sadly, Lily agreed.  She had no right to make things worse for James.

                The next day, Lily tried to keep Dorcas’ perspective on things.  She wouldn’t jump to conclusions before she got there.  If it looked like Potter had meant it as a date, she would apologize for making everything so awkward.  He had never asked her so casually before and she had gotten confused.  It had been a stupid mistake but she hadn’t meant anything by it.

                Of course, that didn’t mean it was easy to go through a whole prefects meeting on the benches at the edge of the village and not spend the time guessing what was going his head.  Still, James seemed to be acting normal, which was a good sign, and she got very lucky at the end of the meeting when a few prefects wanted to unload a few forms they had.  There was a fine excuse to hang back and collect the papers while James grabbed them a table.  She was even able to walk over with Dorcas, who joined her as she passed the inn.

                Lily didn’t waste her breath telling Dorcas she was worried or that she hadn’t meant for this to happen.  She wanted to.  But Dorcas already knew all this and saying it would just make her more nervous. 

                When they arrived in the door of The Three Broomsticks the girls were allowed a moment longer to hope as they looked for the table James had claimed.  They should have known better- any table with the four boys together would have been all too easy to find.   Once Lily spotted James sitting quietly by himself, waiting for her, Dorcas gave her a grim little smile and quickly headed the other way, towards the bar.

                Lily walked nervously over to the table where two warm butter beers were politely waiting, neither one touched.  To her relief, James looked genuinely happy to see her.  There was no way to tell if this meant her fears were unfounded or if his impressive friendliness was once again deceiving her.

                “Hey, Lily.  Sorry you got caught collecting all the forms.”

                His voice was cheery, but she did detect the distinctive sign of nerves in his tone.  It seems she was foolish to hope she had been mistaken.

                “That’s alright,” came her reply. “I was the one that gave them to them to fill out.  Thanks for grabbing the drinks.”

                “Oh, right,” he said as she took her first sip, “I would have wanted to anyways.”

                Lily took a longer sip to give herself time to consider it that was a date thing to say.  It definitely sounded like a date thing to say.  She found herself coming back to this sort of evaluation throughout their conversation.  When she was able to forget her worrying for a few minutes at a time, she enjoyed their conversation.  James was excellent company and she was grateful to spend time with him, even if she did regret the circumstance.  By the time they headed back into the chilly fall weather, however, Lily’s fears seemed certain.

                James thought they were on a date.  She was morally obligated to say something.

                “I have to apologize,” she finally risked once they were on the path leaving Hogsmeade, away from any eavesdroppers.  “When you asked me to go to drinks last night, I thought you were actually trying to make plans.  Anyways, I’m sorry.  I didn’t mean to trap you or make you uncomfortable.  I realized later on when I mentioned it to Dorcas and at that point I didn’t want to say anything in case I _hadn’t_ gotten it wrong because I figured that would just make you uncomfortable and I really _did_ want to spend time with you.”

                “Wait, Lily.”  James stopped walking to figure this out properly.  “I asked the same as always.”

                Lily was already embarrassed and found this to be slightly exasperating.  “I _know_ that _now_.  But at the time you didn’t sound like you were joking.  I think because you were tired.”

                “I wasn’t joking.”  He shook his head. “Lily, I’ve been asking you out for four years.”

                “Well-“ Lily was quick to start her retort but found she didn’t quite know how to finish.  “What?”

                “I’ve always been serious,” James said as if she were being stupid.  “How could you not have realized?”

                “I don’t know!  You were too discrete, I guess.”

                “I asked you if you wanted to go snog in the Forbidden Forest!”

                “Well, you _sounded_ like you were joking,” Lily explained indignantly.

                James rolled his eyes but turned to face her dead on and say in a voice that certainly _sounded_ serious, “Do you want to go snog in the Forbidden Forest?”

                Lily was about to roll her eyes right back at him and brush off the comment when she suddenly started to wonder what would happen if she were to say yes.  Would they start heading the other way, as simple as that?  Was James suggesting that if she were to say yes to things, they would actually happen?  She felt herself going red.

                “Really, James… There’s no need to…” she stammered but found herself unable to name his behavior.

                Thankfully, he answered with a grin and started walking as he said, “Okay, then.  Just as long as you know I’m serious.”

                Lily matched his stride.  “I guess I do.”

                “And maybe say yes every now and then.”

                “I’ll definitely consider it,” she said formally even as a small smile was making its way to her face.

                “Okay, then.”

                They walked a bit in quiet after that, neither sure how to make conversation from there.  Then, not saying anything, James grabbed her hand as they were walking.  Lily had to admit it was nice; not just in the regular physical comfort of holding someone else’s hand but that he had chosen her hand to grab and swing slightly as he walked back to Hogwarts on a chilly fall day.  She carefully glanced over at her companion.  He wasn’t looking at her, just staring straight ahead, but he was wearing a huge smile he couldn’t seem to put away.

 

                And there go the rules.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks so much for reading. I respect your time, but if you have a moment to leave a comment, it would come much appreciated. I am still pretty new here and look forward to learning from what you have to say.


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